First Captain's Club
by Prpl Grl
Summary: Ukitake has been dumped for a younger man. Only one captain can understand exactly what he's going through. Yaoi, Language, a bit Angsty !Mature Audiences ONLY!
1. Chapter 1

First Captain's Club

Ukitake Jyushiro exhaled sharply, letting the burn of the sake run down his throat. The warming effect the alcohol had on his body was somewhat comforting and helped to dull the pain within his chest. The Thirteenth Division Captain's fuzzy mind referred to him how ironic this was, as he filled his cup once more. Dealing with the constant pain and discomfort his mysterious illness had always granted him with, Ukitake never thought there could be anything more painful to experience.

Never before had he been so wrong; even the pain from losing his vice-captain, Shiba Kaien, could not come close in comparison.

Tears stung his brown eyes once more and he quickly blinked them back. Jyushiro had probably cried enough to fill a lake already, the red puffiness around his orbs a testament to that fact. When the last drop of moisture fell down his cheek earlier that evening, the captain felt even emptier than before and he knew that the dark heaviness within his heart had to be filled.

The sake seemed to be helping, if only a little. The sharp edge of the pain had dulled to something more of what he was used to, more like the illness that still attacked his frail body.

Politely blowing his nose into a tissue, Jyushiro downed another cup of the rice wine, slightly wincing at the burn it still had. His eyes were starting to constantly blur with unshed tears, but he held them at bay, shutting his eyelids and crossing his arms upon the bar before him. The captain bowed his head, further encasing him within darkness as his silvery hair cascaded over his shoulders to hide his face. He bit his lower lip as a few traitorous drops of moisture fell from his lashes to soak into the sleeve of his white haori.

'_What am I going to do now?_' his mind whispered in misery as his trembling hands balled into fists. '_How can I go on without…?_' A small sob escaped his throat; he couldn't even _think_ the name within his mind without breaking down.

"Ukitake-taicho, I didn't think I would run into you at a place like this."

Jyushiro's eyes whipped open at the sound of the smooth, calm voice he knew, causing a few more tears to slide down his already stained cheeks. He immediately turned his head slightly to confirm what his ears had previously told him. "Kuchiki-taicho," he whispered as he caught sight of the Sixth Division Captain. He blinked a moment before hastily wiping away the wetness from his face as the younger man sat beside him. Jyushiro took a deep breath and poured out some sake into his cup before doing the same for the other captain as Kuchiki got his own cup, plastering a fake smile on his lips as he did so.

"What brings you out here, Kuchiki-taicho?" the white-haired man asked as he set down the bottle of rice wine.

Light blue eyes glanced at him for a mere moment before the clan leader picked up his cup. "I could ask the same thing of you, Ukitake-taicho," he stated evenly. "I know that there are other drinking establishments, which are closer to the thirteenth division barracks. By all accounts, this place, the closest to the sixth division, should be far out of your way." Like the overly-polite noble he was, Byakuya slowly sipped his drink until it was gone.

Jyushiro's smile faltered a bit, his brown orbs locking onto the rippling sake in his cup. '_Because I knew he wouldn't be here._' Trying to keep cheerful, he responded with a short, "No real reason, I suppose," before downing the rice wine and forcing himself not to flinch at the burn.

A short silence passed, one where the thirteenth captain could feel those noble eyes upon him, studying his every move, his posture, even watching intently as Jyushiro drank another cup. It seemed to be working for him; his mind was starting to lighten and the pain was going away as a buzz began to hum between his ears.

Byakuya sighed heavily beside him. "What happened, Ukitake-taicho?"

The older man turned to the Kuchiki, raising a dark eyebrow at the serious look upon the other's face. "We're not on duty right now, Kuchiki-san," he said softly, pouring more sake into his cup. "You don't have to address me so formerly."

The younger man glared slightly, dark eyebrows coming together and thin lips curling downward. "You did not answer my question… Ukitake-_san_. What happened to you?"

Jyushiro looked away, carefully dipping a finger into his cup to swirl the alcohol within it, small smile still on his face. "What makes you think something happened?" he whispered, removing his finger from the liquid and bringing it up to his mouth, where he sucked the flavor from his skin. He quickly swallowed what was within his cup, this time releasing a long breath afterwards and leaning a bit heavier upon the bar.

"For one thing," Byakuya answered, swiftly reaching across the older captain to snatch the half-empty bottle of sake away, "you never drink, Ukitake-san. I thought sake was bad for your illness."

The white-haired man nodded, the liquor really starting to kick in at this point, making him forget just exactly _who_ was sitting beside him. "You would be correct, Byakuya-kun. That's why I always drink tea."

The captain of the sixth division, although a little annoyed at the name the older taicho had given him, placed the bottle down on his other side. "How bad is it for you?"

Jyushiro shrugged a little, running a hand through his silvery mane. "Theoretically speaking… maybe fatal."

"_Fatal?!_" the Kuchiki said in a surprised tone, blue eyes a little wide as a wave of concern flashed within them.

"Don't worry, Byakuya-kun," Ukitake reassured, although that expression had only warmed him further. "It would probably take a whole bottle before that happened."

A very, _very_ faint pink hue touched the clan leader's cheekbones as he calmed, clearing his throat as he poured a bit of the sake into his empty cup and drinking it with a single gulp. "Are you going to tell me what would make you take such a risk, Ukitake-san?"

Jyushiro remained silent, brown eyes staring intently at his empty cup as the smile slid from his face. How could he say it? Was there any way that the younger man beside him would be able to understand what he was feeling right now? Did he know what this dark emptiness felt like?

Kuchiki sighed again, a hint of defeat within his voice. "I don't understand why you're here, Ukitake-san," he said in a slightly soothing tone. "I saw Kyoraku-taicho walking towards…."

Whatever else the noble said, it was lost to the older man as he flinched at the sound of _his_ name. His hands began to tremble once more as he balled them into fists, the onslaught of pain and utter misery slamming down upon his soul in a single instant. '_The damn sake didn't help at all!_' his mind screamed, tears once again coming to his closed eyes.

Byakuya watched his senpai closely, a deep frown touching his lips. "Did something happen between you and Kyoraku-taicho?" he asked gently.

Jyushiro couldn't take it anymore, his body refused to hold these strong emotions at bay any longer and he cried out, causing several of the other patrons in the bar to turn as he screamed, "Shunsui left me!" He broke down into heavy sobs, burying his face within his shaking hands as tears fell uncontrolled from his eyes.

"Kyoraku-taicho _left you_?" the younger captain questioned genuine surprise within his voice. It had been no secret that the two had been a couple; they'd known each other since their days in the Shinigami Academy, so it only seemed natural after so long. This truly was shocking news to the captain of the sixth division. "What kind of excuse would he have to do so?"

Jyushiro collected himself a little at the question, sniffing and rubbing his eyes to remove more tears as he thought back to the very truthful answer his _former_ lover had given him when he'd asked something akin to that. "Well… do you know about that big party Matsumoto Rangiku put together the other day?" After the younger man's confirming nod, he went on, tears and sobs fighting their way free as he spoke, "S-she had it… and Shunsui went… b-because…. Hitsuguya-taicho finally turned eighteen!" The white-haired captain broke down again, crying into his folded arms on the bar.

It was too new; this feeling of emptiness. He'd been with somebody too long and he didn't know how he was going to survive without the single person who had meant so much to him.

"I'm too old," Ukitake mumbled on, the rice wine loosening his tongue, "that's why he left me. He decided he couldn't be with someone my age anymore, which is why he went to Toushiro-kun! I'm not good enough for him! My illness makes me weak and ugly… and Shunsui just had enough." He cried for a few more moments before a warm hand upon his shoulder made him pause. Blood-shot eyes rose from his arms to gaze curiously at the sixth division captain.

Byakuya's expression seemed… _empathetic_ to the almost-completely-drunk white-haired captain and it made him wonder what the other was thinking.

A small, sad smile slowly spread onto the younger man's lips as soft words left them. "I understand completely where you're coming from, Ukitake-san."


	2. Chapter 2

First Captain's Club

Ukitake patiently watched the younger captain in silence as he took several more shots of the sake. Jyushiro had already wiped the tears from his face and blown his nose, but Byakuya hadn't said another word since placing his hand upon the white-haired man's shoulder. Jyushiro knew not to pry; the Kuchiki were known for their pride and it would have been insulting for the older captain to push the other further. Instead, he held his emotions back again, this time overwhelmed with curiosity with what the sixth division captain had to say.

After five or six cups, Byakuya sighed heavily, his cheeks flushing slightly as his light blue eyes reflected hints of sadness as they stared at his cup. "Remember the times before Aizen," he finally whispered voice heavy with emotion. "Things… were better then. I never realized it at the time… but I enjoyed his company, the few times we weren't arguing. There were even a few occasions when we…," his eyes darted around the bar slowly, checking for eavesdroppers before finishing his sentence in a very, very quiet tone, "we had sex, but don't you dare tell anybody that, Ukitake-san."

"Don't worry, Byakuya-kun," the thirteenth captain reassured, an amused smile on his lips despite himself. "Your secret's safe with me."

The dark haired man nodded, downing another cup of rice wine before continuing. "It's true that you don't know what you cherish until it's gone. What a fool I was not to see it…."

"Byakuya-kun?" Jyushiro asked softly as his comrade filled his cup again.

"It's all Kurosaki Ichigo's fault!" Kuchiki snapped, blue eyes sharpening into cold daggers.

A dark eyebrow upon the older captain's forehead rose in question. "Ichigo-kun? What did he do?"

Byakuya's free hand clenched into a fierce fist and a dark scowl made his face look even more agitated than he usually was. "Ever since… ever since that bastard Aizen betrayed Soul Society…." A soft growl rumbled low in his throat, making Jyushiro think that maybe the younger man hadn't yet gotten over this heartbreak. "All… all Kenpachi does is chase after Kurosaki and challenge him to fight! It used to be _me_ that he'd insist on fighting, but he hardly even looks at me now. He left me… for that damn orange-haired punk!"

Ukitake was speechless, truly speechless. Kuchiki Byakuya, the noblest person in the whole of Soul Society, had been involved with Zaraki Kenpachi, the man from the 80th District of Rukon? It was almost too hard for him to comprehend, especially since Jyushiro hadn't even noticed nor suspected a thing, which was probably what they had wanted anyway.

"So you see, Ukitake-san," the clan leader said at the other's stunned silence, "I know exactly where you're coming from. I was dumped for a younger, stronger and more attractive man myself." His eyes closed when he took another drink from his cup, but he seemed to slow down a little. '_Maybe he needed the alcohol to loosen himself up enough to tell me,_' Jyushiro thought as he placed his hand upon the younger man's shoulder.

He smiled sadly as Byakuya turned to him. "I see that you do understand, Byakuya-kun. Thank you for sharing that with me."

"I shared it with you so you'd know that you're not alone with your pain."

"And I really appreciate it." The small grin remained on his face as they fell silent, the sixth captain finishing off the sake while Jyushiro simply stared at the bar. For some reason, the pain seemed easier to deal with, now that he knew he wasn't the only one hurting. It was obvious to him that the younger man beside him was the one who was feeling lonely with the burden of having somebody leave him.

It was several minutes before Byakuya spoke again. "It's getting late," he said gently, standing and paying for the rice wine. "I think it's time we depart."

"Sounds like a good idea," the thirteenth captain agreed around a sigh, also getting up from the stool he had been perched in. The second his feet hit the ground, Jyushiro's vision spun wildly and his mind felt as if it was tossing and turning within his skull. He knew he should have hit the floor and was a little curious for a moment as to why he wasn't gazing up at the ceiling, when he could feel warm arms wrapped around him.

Finally able to focus his eyes, the older man looked up at the Kuchiki, whose expression was full of worry as he adjusted their position and looped one of Ukitake's arms around his neck and wrapped one of his own arms around the white-haired captain's waist. "I think you drank too much," Byakuya commented softly, slowly leaving the bar.

Jyushiro leaned most of his weight against the warm, welcome body pressed along his own while trying to make his feet move in the appropriate order. "You may be right, Byakuya-kun," he agreed again, a smile curling his lips, although he wasn't really sure what he was smiling about.

A light scowl touched the sixth captain's face; what was he supposed to do now? The older man lived a ways away from their current position and a small part of him worried about leaving him alone when in this condition. The only option his keen mind came to was to take his senpai to the Kuchiki Manor, which was much closer, and have him stay there for the night.

With the decision made, the younger man changed directions, going down an alley to connect with the main road that would take them straight to the large estate. The trip, for the most part, was uneventful… thankfully. They did not encounter any other shinigami they knew or other captains, to which the Kuchiki was very grateful. He really did not want to have to explain why the sickly Ukitake-taicho was drunk and the reasoning behind them going to the Kuchiki Manor. The sixth captain wasn't completely sober himself, and he feared any confrontation with anybody might end up being a little more truthful than he wanted.

They were just a turn away from the main gates when the older man tripped, almost falling flat on his nose had the dark-haired captain not grabbed the other's waist. Byakuya pressed Ukitake's body flush against his own, making sure he could regain his balance, but his eyes widened slightly as they were engulfed by a pair of deep auburn orbs.

He swallowed thickly at the way the older man stared into him, as if he could read everything by merely gazing into his light blue eyes. Kuchiki felt a little bit uncomfortable at the intrusion but tried to hold his ground by placing a soft glare upon his face; his eyes icing over to try and deter the other captain.

Byakuya was a bit surprised when a smile touched Ukitake's lips.

"Byakuya-kun," Jyushiro whispered gently, an unsuspected tremor rippling down the younger man's spine as warm breath tickled his skin. He hadn't realized just how close their faces were….

The sixth captain could feel heat fill his cheeks as the older man placed both of his warm hands upon Byakuya's broad shoulders, taking another half step toward him and pressing their bodies even harder together. Hot pockets of air, smelling heavily of sake, were breathed along his cheek as the white-haired captain continued to look into his pale blue eyes.

"Byakuya-kun," Jyushiro repeated a little louder, brown orbs looking for a response.

Kuchiki had to swallow a couple times before he could get his voice to work properly… and even then it betrayed him. "Y-yes, Ukitake-san?" He mentally berated himself for the stuttering and was embarrassed that his tone almost sounded like a hopeful fan girl who had been asked something by the man she'd been fallowing around for months.

Ukitake's smile widened just a fraction as he tilted his head a bit to the side. "Aren't you going to kiss me, Byakuya-kun?"


	3. Chapter 3

First Captain's Club

A small grunt left Byakuya, half in shock and half in pain as he was shoved roughly against the wall behind him, surprisingly strong hands pinning his shoulders. Slightly wide blue eyes gazed at the older man and he could feel more heat rush to his face.

Ukitake's expression seemed to be far too smug; considering he was drunk and his beautiful brown orbs were glazed over from the alcohol. However, the longer the Kuchiki stared the more he noticed tiny flickers within that gaze, but it was something he couldn't really pinpoint.

The older man leaned in close, teasing Byakuya's flesh further by just barely grazing their lips together. Immediate shocks of pure electricity shot through the sixth captain's body; never had he thought his dreams from long ago would come to fruition…. Still, he wasn't that horny teenager anymore; he was a man who tried to live by the rules and ignored his childish desires. In remembering such, Byakuya tried to lean his head back, away from the older captain; if anything, he would never take advantage of another person in this condition.

Unfortunately, his head only moved back an inch before lightly tapping against the wall behind him. The movement didn't go unnoticed by his captor, however.

Jyushiro's lips curled up just a bit more, gently rubbing his nose along the younger man's in an attempt to be soothing. Kuchiki wasn't so sure it was working. "It's okay, Byakuya-kun," Ukitake whispered softly. "Just a simple kiss; it's all right to kiss me."

The younger man's heart was pounding madly within his chest as a few shaky breaths left him. He stared hard into the thirteenth captain's eyes, but found no trick. His mind supplied that if it turned out bad, he could always blame this on the sake…. '_Famous last words,_' a tiny voice whispered. Yet, why was his neck bending ever-so-slightly toward the older man? Byakuya's eyes slipped closed as his lips softly, tentatively, touched those of the older captain.

A small noise of contentment left… well, it had to be Ukitake who made it. No matter the situation, a Kuchiki's pride would never allow them to make such a needy sound. He did, however, lean into the kiss when one of Jyushiro's arms slid over his shoulder to wrap around his neck, the other hand dropping to gently rub along his side.

Byakuya raised his slightly shaking hands to carefully wrap around the older man's waist, pulling him closer against his body. The lips pressed on his own were very soft and warm; much more inviting than the younger captain had ever imagined. He was surprised with himself as they remained locked like that, simply lips upon lips. Byakuya supposed that maybe a tongue might emerge, a shiver running down his spine at the thought, but this was also nice.

It seemed to be an eternity before they parted. Kuchiki didn't even get the chance to see any kind of rejection within the older man's eyes. Jyushiro dropped his head to gently rest on the younger man's shoulder, a pleased sigh leaving him.

"I like your kisses, Byakuya-kun," he whispered, body going just the tiniest bit limp along the sixth captain's.

The Kuchiki thought the other had gone to sleep, but quickly cleared his throat once he remembered that they were in an alleyway and completely out in the open. Demanding the flush on his cheeks to disperse, the younger man was able to awaken his senpai enough to get him into the Kuchiki Manor without much of a fuss. The guards stationed everywhere were a bit curious, but one look from the clan leader had any questions they were about to ask forbidden from their lips.

Being the gentlemen he had been raised to be, and remembering the little rule to respect one's elders, Byakuya carefully dressed Ukitake in one of his own sleeping robes and placed him in his futon. It was a beautiful night anyway; sleeping under the stars wouldn't be so bad, even though the manor had plenty of sleeping quarters. He never liked any of them. The clan leader either wanted his bed or the nice, flush grass in the courtyard.

He gave one look to the already sleeping captain before quietly getting up from his kneeling position. Byakuya bowed respectively, whispering, "Good night, Ukitake-san." He turned to head for the door and leave the other to rest.

Kuchiki's movements were halted, however, as a warm hand grabbed onto his wrist tightly. He looked over his shoulder to see the thirteenth captain sitting up on the futon, head bowed to hide his eyes behind silvery tresses. "Ukitake-san?" the younger man asked softly, turning to face him and raising a delicate eyebrow.

"Please," Jyushiro said quietly, voice just a bit shaky. "Please Byakuya-kun… don't leave. Stay… if only for tonight. I… I won't be able to sleep by myself. Please," he raised his head to let the Kuchiki see his tear-filled auburn eyes, pleading silently to his light blue orbs, "stay."

Byakuya couldn't stop the small smile spreading his lips. "All right, Ukitake-san." The older man seemed slightly comforted as he dropped his hand from the clan leader's wrist. Byakuya quickly got ready for bed, not being able to help the spark of pain and nostalgia that came with hearing the request. He had felt the same… after Hisana had passed….

Dressing in another of his sleeping robes, the Kuchiki carefully lied down beneath the covers beside the older man, his sadness and hurt being held back by his pride. His eyes widened in surprise once again as Ukitake scooted himself over to place his head upon the sixth captain's shoulder, one hand coming up to rest softly upon his chest.

"Thank you… Byakuya-kun," Jyushiro whispered before quickly falling into slumber.

Kuchiki swallowed hard at the warmth along his body and brought a tentative arm up to wrap around the older man's shoulders, holding him close. It had been quite a long time since he'd shared his bed like this with anybody….

XXXXX

Byakuya glared angrily at the paperwork upon his desk, hoping to will itself to be finished by his icy blue eyes alone. He hadn't been able to concentrate properly since he entered the office that morning, having been woken up by an all too familiar sight.

Not since his marriage with Hisana had he been woken up by deep hacking and coughing. At first, his mind had processed that it was his past wife who was causing such a noise, before his eyes finally adjusted upon the thirteenth captain on the other side of the bed. The younger man had immediately found himself kneeling beside his senpai as he continued to cough heavily, long silver locks draping beautifully over his shoulders.

Ukitake had tried to smile once he noticed the clan leader to be awake, but it merely led to more coughing and Byakuya found himself extremely worried as the other's cheeks flushed and he realized the heat radiating off the thirteenth captain. He knew Ukitake had contracted a fever and insisted on contacting Unohana Retsu-taicho to come to his aid, which the older man had abruptly refused, claiming it wasn't that bad. That is, until another fit caused blood to spill from his soft lips.

The gentle female captain of the fourth division had come quickly and lightly scolded both men for drinking, especially Jyushiro for getting pretty drunk before stopping, and instructed the white-haired man to take the day to rest. Byakuya was the first to make sure that the ill captain would stay put in the manor, before Unohana-taicho had the chance to say that the thirteenth captain shouldn't be moved. She gave the young Kuchiki leader a very soft and, if Byakuya didn't know any better, a _knowing_ smile before departing from the mansion to return to the fourth's barracks.

'_There's nothing to know!_' the sixth captain's mind shouted, eyes still glaring at the paperwork. '_It was just a damn kiss, nothing more!_'

"A kiss, Kuchiki-taicho?"

Byakuya's eyes shot to the door of his office to see his vice captain standing in the doorway, one tattooed eyebrow raised on his forehead. His scowl intensified; he hadn't meant to say that aloud. "Never mind, Renji," he muttered, placing a hand over his tired orbs. Maybe that was it; exhaustion was probably making him not able to focus properly.

"Are you all right, taicho?" the red head asked, stepping further into the office. "You don't look so good."

Kuchiki sighed heavily, silently wishing his fukutaicho would go away. "I didn't sleep very well," he admitted, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Ooooh, I got ya," Renji commented.

The tired captain looked at his second seat with a questioning gaze as the red head gave him a knowing leer; a shit-eating grin on his lips and sparkle in his eyes as he leaned on the desk with one hand upon the surface. "Adding that together with that 'kiss' comment," he started, tone sounding superior, "I can guess that you're having some women problems, right? You were able to get a girl to kiss you, but she wouldn't go all the way, leaving you sexually frustrated and thus sleepless. I can totally understand that, Kuchiki-taicho."

Byakuya scowled threateningly before immediately standing from his chair, making the vice captain flinch back in surprise.

"Uh… taicho?"

"My sexual life is none of your concern, Abarai-fukutaicho!" the captain snapped, trying to remain calm as he walked around his desk and headed for the door. "And for making that comment I'll let you finish the remainder of my paperwork."

Renji was staring at him with wide eyes. "B-b-but… Kuchiki-taicho! Where are you going?!"

"Home; I am obviously not in any condition to work today. Those papers had better be completed by the time I get in tomorrow." With that said, Byakuya left the office, clearly hearing the loud curses his vice captain shouted as he made his way out of the barracks for the sixth division.

Kuchiki took quick steps as he walked back to the manor, although he avoided using shunpo. For some reason, he didn't want to seem overeager when he returned. His mind also reminded him that he was probably too tired to use it properly anyway.

He had gotten very little sleep the night before; it had been many years since there was a warm, comforting body pressed so willingly against his own as he slept. It wasn't detestable by any means, but a part of him didn't want to fall into slumber. That part feared waking up to find it wasn't real and the whole evening had been nothing but a teasing dream. So he remained wide awake, staring at the ceiling above him, mind drifting back to times with Hisana. It was true that she did not return the love he felt for her, but she still cuddled up against him at night, continually thanking him in her sleep.

How he missed her….

When his relationship with Kenpachi started, it was mostly by accident. They had simply been arguing and threatening each other to a fight, which somehow led to Byakuya sprawled out beneath the larger man, both naked and starting a new fight of dominance. At first, they had sworn never to do that again but… several more times the same thing happened, until Byakuya had unknowingly grown accustomed to their "_battles_."

Every time Zaraki would come across the clan leader, Byakuya could see a special sparkle in his eye as he grinned widely. That tiny flash always sent an excited tremor through his body; sex with Zaraki Kenpachi was certainly not boring. Even though he could be extremely rough, the eleventh division captain still made sure not to seriously hurt Byakuya as he would hold him down and penetrate his sizable erection into him. Kuchiki loved it and greatly enjoyed coming back for more.

Then Aizen Sousuke betrayed Soul Society, Rukia had nearly been killed, and Kurosaki Ichigo had broken into the Seireitei with his friends. Those events had put a sudden halt to any kind of relationship Byakuya may have had with Zaraki. Not long after he recovered from his wounds from all the excitement the former fifth division captain had caused, Kuchiki came across the eleventh captain.

He remembered Kenpachi not even looking his way; Kurosaki's spirit energy spiked for whatever reason (Byakuya wasn't even sure why he was there again) and the taller man's eyes darted off to gaze in that direction. Kuchiki did wonder a moment why he could always sense the substitute shinigami but that thought was quickly washed away when he noticed the look on the other's face.

Zaraki was grinning widely and a familiar sparkle shined within his orbs. The eleventh division captain ran off quickly after that.

Byakuya hadn't felt such pain since Hisana had died, but he kept it hidden. No one knew of the relationship he'd been having with the fighting-crazed shinigami and he wasn't about to give it away by becoming depressed suddenly. Ukitake had been the very first and only person he told.

He sighed heavily as he entered the Kuchiki Manor, ignoring the bows and surprised greetings he received and hurried to his bedroom. The sixth division captain found one of the servants kneeling beside the futon, which held a sleeping Ukitake Jyushiro, a wet cloth upon his forehead and a small bucket of water sitting peacefully beside the covers.

The servant made a small noise, seeing the clan leader enter at this time of day, quickly standing and bowing respectively. Byakuya dismissed her, saying that he would watch over the captain for the rest of the day. She left without hesitation, shutting the door behind her and almost encasing them in complete darkness.

Byakuya scowled; the windows had not been opened, the shades hiding the warm sunlight from the room. He quietly made his way to the shutters and parted them, brightening up the space around him and letting in a small gust of fresh air. Turning back to the sleeping man, Kuchiki took his Senbonzakura from his hip and gently set it down beside him as he kneeled on a cushion beside the bed.

Sunlight poured in from the window to cascade over his back and lie upon the cream colored comforter Ukitake was tucked with. Byakuya's eyes drifted over the older man's face; his cheeks were still flushed and the rest of his face seemed paler than normal. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, although at times it sounded a bit labored. Byakuya reached over his senpai and grabbed the bucket of water on the other side, placing it beside his zanpakuto and dipping a fresh towel into the cool liquid before removing the warmed towel on Ukitake's forehead and replacing it with the fresh one.

The scene before him was not a pleasant one; memories of Hisana kept resurfacing within Byakuya's mind. How many days had he spent like this, kneeling at her bedside as she wasted away before his very eyes? He didn't have any power to stop the illness from taking his wife then, and he certainly did not have the power to relieve the thirteenth captain of the sickness he'd been battling for ages. It was such a helpless feeling.

Kuchiki's hands balled into fists upon his lap as he averted his gaze. He felt the same as he did all those years ago, watching someone he cared for suffer. Why couldn't he do anything?! He felt useless, unnecessary as tears stung his eyes. Byakuya feared that he was destined for the rest of his life to not be able to help anybody and merely watch from the sidelines as a few small drops of moisture fell passed his lashes.

His whole body tensed as a warm hand covered one of his own. Light blue eyes slowly trailed up Ukitake's arm to his smiling face as he leaned on his side to reach the younger captain. "I'm okay, Byakuya-kun," he said quietly, voice slightly hoarse. "Please, don't worry and… I appreciate the tears."

Byakuya blinked a moment before nodding and wiping the wetness from his face. It was very odd, not feeling embarrassed or flustered at being caught crying. He was supposed to be the leader of the most prestigious clan in all of Soul Society, captain of the sixth division from the Gotei Thirteen, and someone who is both should never shed a tear. '_What is it about this man?_' Byakuya wondered as the white-haired captain settled himself back under the comforter. '_Why do I feel so comfortable around him? What makes him so… likable?_'

XXXXX

The next day had the sixth division captain focusing a lot better. Ukitake went to his own living quarters in the evening the previous day, with a lot of thanks to the Kuchiki leader and Byakuya was able to sleep through the night, even though he missed the warmth beside him.

Renji was still mad at him, but at least that kept the unnecessary comments at bay. By all means, the day was actually turning out to be very good for the dark-haired man. He went through his paperwork at a steady pace and was at the last of it just as the sun started setting behind the horizon.

_Knock, knock!_

Byakuya's eyes rose from his desk at the noise from the closed door; he'd already sent his second seat home once he was completely sick of his grumbling. "Enter," he commanded evenly.

The door slid open to reveal a smiling Ukitake Jyushiro. "Good evening, Kuchiki-taicho," he said in a cheerful tone as he entered the office. "How are you doing today?"

The younger captain couldn't stop the small smirk that stretched his lips at seeing the other man. "I would ask the same of you, Ukitake-taicho."

Jyushiro chuckled. "I really wish you wouldn't worry about me so much, taicho. It's a bit embarrassing to have someone younger than me fussing over me."

"My apologies, Ukitake-taicho, it was not my intent to make you feel that way."

"Oh, no, no," the older man said, waving his hand in the air, "there is no need to apologize."

"Is there something I can do for you, Ukitake-taicho?" Byakuya asked, dipping his brush in ink and proceeded to sign his name at the bottom of a report.

"Actually, I came to ask you something," Jyushiro responded, waiting for the younger man to finish writing and look at him before continuing. "I was wondering; if you aren't busy, would you like to go to the hot springs with me?"

A very faint blush touched Byakuya's cheeks and he looked away, trying to get it to go away; '_how can this man fluster me so easily?_' "The host springs, Ukitake-taicho?"

"Yes, I was hoping that we could bathe together."


	4. Chapter 4

First Captain's Club

In the end, Byakuya could not refuse the other captain. After careful thought, he realized that Jyushiro most likely had gone to the hot springs all the time with Kyoraku-taicho. It was probably comforting to the older captain to have a companion to go along with. A small smile spread on the clan leader's face as he walked beside the white-haired man, both holding towels as they made their way toward the public bath house. Before coming to the entrance, the men ran into Unohana-taicho. She immediately struck small conversation with the thirteenth captain, making sure he was feeling all right.

Byakuya turned away from them, not wanting to get chewed out again by the gentle woman for letting Ukitake drink. His light blue eyes drifted over to the doors of the main house for the hot springs of the Seireitei. People were going in and out of the place, and his gaze locked onto a particular couple that made him scowl and grab Jyushiro's elbow.

The white-haired man looked at him curiously as the sixth captain apologized to Unohana-taicho, quickly stating that they had to be going and hurriedly pulled the older man away from the vicinity.

Jyushiro almost had trouble keeping pace. "B-Byakuya-kun?" he asked in a squeaky voice, which seemed unintentional.

"We'll go to the private hot spring at the Kuchiki Manor," the clan leader said calmly, releasing the older man's arm. "It will not be overrun by other shinigami."

A small, knowing smile, tinged with a hint of sadness crossed the thirteenth captain's lips. "You saw Shunsui-kun," he stated.

Byakuya merely looked at his feet for a few moments. He did not have the heart to tell his senpai that he had noticed Kyoraku with his new boyfriend enter the bathhouse; he felt the other had been through enough. Although the dark-haired captain had to admit he'd never seen Hitsugaya Toushiro smiling before, and he did look extremely handsome when doing so.

XXXXX

A soft sigh left the Kuchiki leader as he lowered himself into the very inviting hot spring the family mansion encircled, Ukitake settling himself beside the younger man. The cool night air made the steam rising around them pleasant and the not-quite-burning water kept them comfortable as a slight wind blew by every so often.

Byakuya leaned back, sinking further passed the surface until just his head was leaning comfortably against the rock above the water; he had always loved the hot springs. It was the one place where he could truly relax and let his worries melt away. Usually, though, he was alone; company very rarely was allowed to bathe at the same time he was. '_It's not so bad,_' his mind whispered, light blue eyes glancing over at his guest. '_Ukitake-san has been dealing with so much lately; he deserves some time to unwind too._'

For a moment, the younger man's breath caught in his throat. The bright moon above them caused rays to be captured within Jyushiro's silver locks, making them shine, almost as if his head was encased within a sacred halo. His skin also seemed to shimmer in the light as it reflected off the water to ripple upon his pale flesh. Those blessed silver tresses moved majestically as the wind caught them, only to throw them back into the water to spread out and around the older man, accentuating the lean muscles lying just beneath his skin. '_He's so beautiful…._'

"Byakuya-kun?"

Kuchiki's eyes immediately roamed to the perfectly proportioned lips that had called out to him, a slight smirk upon them. '_What's so funny?_' he wondered.

"Byakuya-kun?" His name came again; louder this time along with a sharp poke to his shoulder.

Byakuya blinked as his eyes locked onto amused auburn. His cheeks began to feel extremely warm and he quickly sat up, sputtering out, "I-I-I'm fine, Ukitake-san!" A hand came to his head; however, as the clan leader began to sway at a bit of dizziness. For a moment, he lost his bearings and slipped from the submerged stone seat in the water and plunged into the depths.

A great gasp escaped him as he could feel his upper body being pulled from the water and he was carefully placed back onto the seat he'd slipped from.

"Are you all right, Byakuya-kun?" came a soft, familiar voice.

Byakuya slowly opened his eyes to focus on a slightly concerned face of Ukitake Jyushiro. He nodded a little as the dizziness subsided and his face burned in humiliation; not only had he gotten caught staring, he'd almost passed out in his own hot springs!

Jyushiro chuckled, settling beside the younger man again. "You must be careful, Byakuya-kun. Any quick movements like that in a hot spring can easily lower your blood pressure at a fast rate."

"I know," Kuchiki murmured, letting his eyes drift to the dancing surface of the water as another small gust of wind blew by. '_What is wrong with me?_' he wondered, growing just the tiniest bit annoyed. '_How can I lose my composure so easily while in this man's presence?! So I find him attractive, but who wouldn't, especially when the moon's shining down on him… he looks like an angel…._'

'_Maybe this was a bad idea,_' the logical part of his mind threw at him. It was quite apparent that he hadn't fully gotten over the affection he'd held for the older man. He was about to announce that he'd had enough when warm, wet fingers gently grazed his brow, carefully tucking his dripping black tresses behind his ear.

Byakuya's slightly widened eyes looked over to the thirteenth captain. Deep brown eyes were sparkling as they stared at the younger man, lips curled up in a smile and cheeks flushed a bit from the heat of the hot spring. '_…had he always been this close?_' Byakuya wondered as Jyushiro's torso was only a breath away from his own.

"I've always known, Byakuya-kun," the older man stated.

"K-known… what?" the sixth captain asked softly, taken a little off guard with the other's voice.

Jyushiro chuckled again, wrapping a well muscled arm around the Kuchiki's shoulders. "That you've had a crush on me since you hit puberty."

Byakuya started and immediately turned away, wishing some kind of black hole would suck him up. If he ever needed a quick way out, now would be that time.

"I could tell by the way you always looked at me," the older captain whispered, leaning close to the other. "Your eyes were filled with so much emotion, Byakuya-kun. I greatly enjoyed locking with your gaze back then, watching your beautiful blue eyes sparkle… just for me."

Kuchiki gasped as a hot, wet tongue glided up his neck in a swift motion, ending with a soft kiss by his jaw. Those enticing lips gently made their way to his earlobe, lightly sucking on the flesh even as the older man's teeth nibbled carefully.

A soft moan left Byakuya as his oversensitive ear was teased for several more moments, heat pooling in his groin as he felt himself becoming erect. One of his hands stroked himself as those lips released his slightly abused earlobe and made a trail across his cheek. Obediently turning his head, the younger man met Ukitake's passion-filled lips with his own, groaning into the older captain's mouth as a tongue entered his cavern.

They kissed for several, very long moments, Byakuya releasing his erection when Ukitake's other hand came up to rest on his thigh. Byakuya made a small noise, gently rubbing his hand along the strong bicep of his senpai, hoping he would get the message; he hadn't had anybody touch him in such a long time.

Jyushiro pulled away slowly, leaving Kuchiki dazed and gasping for air. '_How can this man do this to me?_' he wondered again, utter confusion swirling within his fogged over brain as to where his composure could have gone.

"Byakuya-kun…," the older man whispered.

Another small sound left the dark-haired man as he raised his hand from the other's bicep to his shoulder and slightly bowed his head.

Strong fingers captured his chin in a gentle hold and tilted his face up again. "Byakuya-kun," Jyushiro repeated, a bit sterner, "look at me."

Slowly, just realizing that they were closed, Byakuya opened his eyes. It was no longer a shock to be swallowed up in the auburn gaze of the other anymore; no, it was very welcome.

The older man smiled, releasing Kuchiki's chin to gently pet his cheek. "That's the one," he said softly. "This is what made me fall in love with you."

Byakuya's eyes widened at the statement, but he didn't have much time to think on it as those lips descended once more, locking on to the younger man's own and stealing his breath away. Byakuya moaned again and brought his other hand to join the first in gently running along his senpai's chest, admiring the soft skin.

Ukitake surprised the dark-haired captain as he was suddenly lifted from his position to be settled upon the older man's lap, straddling his thighs. Their lips never separated and Byakuya wrapped his arms around the other captain's neck, fingers tangling within silver tresses as Ukitake brought his own to entwine around his waist, bringing their bodies closer together.

Byakuya threw his head back and cried out as his straining length was rubbed roughly against Ukitake's. A violent shiver rippled down his spine as another gust of wind blew passed his over-heated and wet skin, causing small bumps to cover his flesh.

Jyushiro licked his lips before he descended upon the younger man's chest, capturing a pebbled nipple between his teeth.

"Ah, Ukitake-san!" Byakuya exclaimed with a gasp.

Deep brown eyes looked up into sparkling blue with a hint of seriousness. "Jyushiro."

The Kuchiki shivered again; that was an _order_. He sighed pleasantly, "Jyushiro-san."

His reward was a warm smile and that hot mouth upon his nipple again, sucking, nibbling, and licking the sensitive flesh. The older man gently rocked his hips forward, causing delicious friction and making Byakuya moan almost constantly as the pleasing ripples cascaded through his entire body.

Yes, this is what he'd been missing; the intimate contact of another. The Kuchiki had almost forgotten how much he loved having hands gliding over his flesh and teasing kisses upon his most sensitive places. His hands tightened within the older man's hair as he moved faster, rubbing his erection harder along Jyushiro's.

Byakuya's back bowed out when one of the white-haired man's hands reached between them and began stroking their hard flesh with strong, swift movements. He gasped in surprise as his body began to tense; '_I'm going to cum already?_' Byakuya thought, a little shocked. His body tightened more and more until he felt it snap without warning.

"Jyushiro-sama!!" Byakuya shouted as he shook and trembled, coming hard and long, releasing his essence into the clean water between them. It quickly mixed with the older man's, the black-haired captain's cry of his name causing the reaction.

The Kuchiki panted heavily, feeling dazed and extremely dizzy as he placed his head upon the other's shoulder. He could smell sweat, hot spring, and a very light scent of sex coming from his senpai and another shiver cascaded down his spine, even as his mind seemed to melt away from reality.

When he did come down from his high, Byakuya was walking down the hallways of the manor, Ukitake being gently pulled behind him, their hands entwined. He was a bit confused as to how they got to that point, but he didn't really care that the last ten minutes or so of time had slipped away from him. The clan leader's heart was racing and he was already becoming hard just thinking of getting the older man into his room.

They stopped right outside his door and Kuchiki turned to the white-haired man, lightly noting that the thin robe he wore looked as if he'd thrown it on in haste; the knot on the obi was even slipping. Light blue eyes looked hard into brown orbs, silently making sure that Jyushiro truly wanted to continue.

Ukitake smiled at the concern and pushed the door open himself. He shot a very seductive glance over his shoulder before entering the dark room.

Byakuya released a calming sigh and swallowed hard before following, gently sliding the wood closed behind him. Moonlight streamed down onto his large futon through the open windows, a silhouette of the older man standing beside the bed. Even though he could not see his face, Byakuya knew Jyushiro was watching him as he crossed the room.

A soft hand softly landed upon Kuchiki's cheek as he stepped up to the other, another sigh leaving him as small kisses were showered upon his face. He felt another hand rub at his side a moment before slowly reaching for his extremely loose obi to easily untie it. Byakuya moaned a little at feeling the silk fall on one of his feet, the robe now free from any constraints. Lips gently pressed onto his own as the hand upon his cheek fell to join its twin at the Kuchiki's shoulders and pushed the thin cloth off his body.

Byakuya slightly shivered at the cool breeze reaching his exposed skin, a small noise of disappointment escaping his lips when the older man moved away.

Jyushiro smiled again, lightly chuckling as he reached for his own obi, slowly pulling it free. Light blue eyes followed the movement of those delicate-looking hands as the obi was carefully discarded and the robe slipping over broad shoulders to show bare and perfect flesh.

Kuchiki shivered again in anticipation as the older man lowered himself onto the mattress, looking absolutely heavenly in the moonlight. He soon followed, kneeling upon the sheets as Ukitake wrapped an arm around his waist and kissed him a bit too harshly.

The younger man moaned, hands gliding over skin and loving the way the other held him in a possessive manner. As Ukitake's tongue forced its way into his throat, Byakuya let one of his hands leave the delectable skin and did a quick search for one of their obis. He inwardly was glad as his fingers wrapped around the silk and he pulled it between them.

Jyushiro carefully broke away from the kiss and glanced down at the cloth within the dark-haired man's possession, giving him a curious gaze.

Byakuya smiled just a little as he handed off the obi to Ukitake. Placing his wrists together, the clan leader held them out to the older man with the clear intention in his eyes, '_Tie me up._'

Ukitake matched the smile as Byakuya leaned back to lie against the pillows. He obediently raised his arms above his head when the other silently asked. Jyushiro tied his wrists together and then bound them to a post in the headboard in tight-enough knots.

Byakuya moaned at feeling the cloth against his skin and his back left the sheets for a moment as a ripple of excitement cascaded throughout his body. He absolutely _loved_ this feeling; the want, the _need_, to touch another but not being able to… it was such a big turn on.

Kuchiki Byakuya completely loved the idea of submission. When being a captain and head of a clan, being called "lord" and "master" was something of the norm; Byakuya knew this. What he didn't know, and had only recently found out, was how erotic it could be for him to call another those things. He loved being told what to do, having to rely upon a "master," getting tied up, to have his life in the hands of someone he trusts, letting someone else take command and not have to worry about anything… even some light punishment was such a natural aphrodisiac for him.

Another groan rumbled deep within his throat as he spread his legs for the older man, long sliver tresses spilling over pale shoulders. Auburn eyes looked down at the body before him and Byakuya shivered again at the raw hunger within his gaze. "J-Jyushiro-sama," he whispered.

Ukitake visibly trembled and he leaned down to breathe hotly against the younger man's cheek. "Ooh, Byakuya-kun," he said softly, "you're so… good." He suddenly pressed his body upon Kuchiki's, rubbing heated flesh together and causing another moan.

Byakuya panted as the older man trailed kisses down his chest, giving each of his nipples gentle bites and dipping his tongue into his navel. Another groan rolled over his lips when Ukitake held down his hips before giving his erection a long, lavishing lick. The clan leader's stiff manhood was soon encased within the other's hot cavern, making Byakuya arch and whine.

Jyushiro released the flesh from his mouth, grinning at the flushed face of the younger man, light blue eyes hazed over and pleading to him for release. He slowly brought fingers to his lips and sucked them in; adoring the needy moan he tore from Byakuya. Ukitake closed his eyes, sucking on his fingers and brought his other hand to stroke himself, knowing the sight was driving the other man insane.

Byakuya tugged helplessly upon the restraints around his wrists; he wanted to help! The man he could see as his master was searching for his release and it was his job to help him find it. More whines and moans left the younger man in a futile attempt to reach Jyushiro.

A small chuckle escaped the white-haired man when he opened his eyes to see how desperate the man below him was. He removed his saliva-slicked fingers from his mouth and leaned down to whisper to the Kuchiki, "It's all right, Byakuya-kun. You've been such a good boy… I'm going to reward you." Carefully, Jyushiro pushed one finger into the other's entrance.

"Jyushiro-sama!" Byakuya squeaked, the penetration being unexpected.

"I really like the way you say that, Byakuya-kun." The white-haired man pushed deeper and added another digit, scissoring them within the other's body.

Kuchiki whimpered, moving his hips back onto the flesh within him. After a third was entered, the younger man found himself needing more; something had to get _deeper_ and be pushed _harder_, and he knew Ukitake's fingers wouldn't be able to work.

"P-please!" Byakuya whispered between harsh pants. "Jyushiro-sama… please… I need… ah!" His back arched sharply as something extremely sensitive within him was brushed.

"What, Byakuya-kun?" Ukitake asked, still breathing against his ear. "What do you need?"

"Ah! Jyushiro-sama! I-I need… please… _take me, Jyushiro-sama!!_" he all but screamed as that spot was hit again.

Jyushiro smirked and removed his fingers. "As you wish, Byakuya-kun." He quickly slicked his manhood with saliva, hoping he would last long enough to give the younger man extreme pleasure; watching the Kuchiki leader writhing beneath him and calling out his name was even more sexy than he'd thought.

Being slow and careful, the white-haired man slid his erection passed the tight ring of muscle and penetrated into the younger man's body. He began gasping harshly above Byakuya, almost ejaculating at the extreme heat that seemed to swallow up his shaft in one push.

"Jyushiro-sama," Byakuya moaned, eyes rolling shut as he moved his hips against the other; that erection was perfect! Ukitake filled him in a way he never thought possible and every thrust pushed against his prostate, causing colors to flash behind his eyelids and his own stiff flesh to twitch in anticipation.

Jyushiro groaned and quickly began thrusting almost too harshly within the younger man. He knew he should be gentler, Kuchiki hadn't had any for a while, this he knew. However the other kept moaning and crying out his name in such a way that almost begged for the older man to go _faster_ and _harder_. Ukitake could do nothing more than oblige, moving quicker and grabbing Byakuya's legs and pushing them forward to open him up further.

Sweat rolled freely down Byakuya's neck as the hot coil within his abdomen tightened with each passing moment, each hard thrust. It did not take long at all before he was preparing to cum; small noises coming from his throat as he tried to warn his master of it, but all he received was a smirk and fingers curling around his weeping erection.

"AHH! _**Jyushiro-sama!!!**_" he shouted, spurting thick globs of seed over his chest and stomach as he heard the older man grunt above him and thrust into him a few more times. Byakuya sighed in extreme contentment as Ukitake spilled his cum deep within his body. '_It's so warm…._'

For several minutes, the two men caught their breath. Jyushiro carefully undid the knots used to keep his younger lover bound before collapsing beside him, which effectively separated them from their intimate link.

Byakuya turned onto his side to place his head upon the older man's shoulder, one hand reaching up to caress the sweaty skin as Ukitake wrapped his arms around him. His mind was lost in a heavy fog of pleasure; what some people referred to as "subspace." Of the entire ordeal, although Byakuya loved everything that had happened, this part was the best; cuddling with his master as he rode out his high.

What Jyushiro had said earlier in the hot springs didn't bother the younger man, not right now; all that mattered was that they were together, even if it was for one night.


End file.
